July 2023 Wrap-Up
Happy August, bookworms!
Reading Update: I’m going to do my wrap-up a tad bit differently this month because I barely read a thing. I only managed to finish one audiobook and one physical book, so I’ll be dividing this post into my current reads, and the two books I read. I started quite a few books, but I haven’t managed to finish any of them. I put a couple to the wayside for now, so the ones listed are the ones I’m actively reading.
Doggo looking a bit soggy after he fell off the kayak.
Life Update: I had a hectic July where I ended up pushing a bunch of tasks to the side to finish one job. I definitely messed up my work-life balance, and I’m paying for it now. The burnout is real 😅 But, it’s the last month of summer, so I’m going to try and manage my work hours so I have time to do fun, outdoorsy things on the weekends before going on vacation in September. For instance, taking my doggo kayaking for the first time 😁
Editing Update: I had a really great editing month for July, and I’m also fully booked for August, so I’m currently booking into the second half of September. I will also be attending the virtual ACES editing conference at the end of September, so I’m super excited for that! If you’re curious about the services I offer, or would like to hire me to edit your manuscript, you can find more information and some testimonials at my Editing Services page.
Current Reads:
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (book swap) - I was bored and skimmed the introduction, but I’m glad I pushed through to the first chapter because I got HOOKED. I think this is one of my new fav books at the moment, and now I really want to watch the movies. I was initially a little concerned about being confused with how many POVs there are in the book, but every character is very well-established, so I have no problem remembering who’s who. I’m about halfway done this book, and if the second half is as good as the first, then I’m definitely going to check out the sequel.
The Lake House by Sarah Beth Durst (eARC from HCC Frenzy) - I’m around 50% complete this book, and I’m enjoying it, but I’m not loving it as much as I hoped. I love the female MCs, and I think they have a really great friendship after only knowing each other for such a short amount of time. There’s a sufficient amount of mystery to keep me interested, but I wish it was just a bit darker. The motive of the “villains” seems a little lame, but I’m still super curious to see if there’ll be a plot twist near the end, or a big reveal. Also, I feel like Claire focuses a little too much on how terrible she is because she always comes up with the worst-case scenario.
The Midnight Bargain by C.L. Polk (audiobook) - I’m around 80% complete this audiobook, and I can say with certainty that it’ll be a 5-star read. This book has given me all the feels regarding the struggles women face in society, like choosing their passion over having a family, and the societal expectations placed on women to have a family, and if women really have any freedom at all. It’s been a book that hits a little too close to home, and it will definitely give you some feminine rage. I highly recommend it.
Completed Reads:
ARC from Tor
The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw
Review:
I’ve read one of Khaw’s books before and really enjoyed the horror scenes in it, so I was super excited to find this ARC in my mailbox. In the gore department, this book definitely does not disappoint! It’s just as gory as books by my other fav horror author, Danielle Vega, but this book is more descriptive by far. There were also so many quotable moments, so I was just tabbing away as I read this. One thing that was totally unexpected for me was the romance arc. It was a surprisingly nice addition to the story, and I really enjoyed how it ended. The plot was perfectly horrific and dark, and I loved all the discussions around society’s treatment of women. However, the prose was so poetic and lyrical that I had to pull out a dictionary for almost every other sentence. If there was a glossary included for all the uncommon words used in the book, it would probably be almost as long as the book. Overall, I did really enjoy the story!
4.5/5⭐
Audiobooks
Not Good for Maidens by Tori Bovalino
Review:
I LOVED the goblin market. It was such a fascinating setting. I loved the descriptions of it. The story was surprisingly horrific because of the graphic descriptions of the market. I totally called who the old lady goblin was close to the beginning though, so that wasn’t much of a plot twist for me. I loved May’s storyline more than Lou’s, but I would often get confused between the two, because I would always miss the chapter’s end where we switch POVs and only realize a few paragraphs later. The accents in this audiobook though … dear goodness, they were bad. Totally took me out of the story sometimes because of how all over the place they were. It sounded like the narrator would try to use an accent, forget what it sounded like, and just speak gibberish. Also wasn’t too sure what was up with May’s pregnancy trope. It honestly didn’t seem to fit her character, and just felt like she was pregnant for the plot point of not having anyone except Lou being able to go to the market, and adding higher stakes because she can’t lose the baby. Overall, I loved the setting and world building, but the story itself was a little lacking, in my opinion.
3.5/5⭐
So that’s a wrap for my super quick wrap-up 😅Instead of leaving book recommendations in the comments, tell me the best thing that happened to you in July. What was your favorite part of the month?
Happy reading!
